Darn thing won't start...

6

61special

Guest
Yep, non-starting car would sum it up.

The thing has been sitting since 1986, without being started. Unfortuantly, my electrical skills are not too strong, so i have to ask questions about these kinds of things all of the time.

Here's a brief rundown...

It's a 215ci V8, 2barrel carby. All stock.

Using a full size battery, fully charged, the car will crank and turn over, but very slowly, and sometimes, it won't even do that much, it'll just click.

When it was cranking at its' best, it was not producing spark from the coil. I have replaced the coil and plug leads, and visually checked the wires that run from the intersection of the voltage regulator to the alternator and to the coil, and it all seems fine. All of the plugs are in great condition too.

All of the car's accessories work just fine, all except the engine. The power is running thru all of the interior parts and headlights and all that stuff.

When the car was last used, it started up fine (aparently) and there were no real problems with it.

I had an idea today that maybe the starter motor is not as solid as it once was (maybe needs new solenoid, or wiring). If the starter was not cranking the engine "enough" would spark have a chance to be produced from the coil? Or does the coil produce the spark from the ignition?? I guess i'm asking if the engine has to be turning/cranking at a certain speed for spark to be produced. It just seems like the car has the right amount of power for everything except for the starter to turn the engine nice and strong.

Is it worth the mess to pull out the starter and have it checked, or would that waste some time?

Big questions, hopefully someone can help out.

Thanks,
Mike.

P.S. At least I have the entire braking system to clean out and re-build while i figure out the engine stuff. Pretty much done now with the brakes, so getting anxious to hear the roar of the 140hp!!! (Yes, i'm being sarcastic towards the small-block)
 
You say you are using a full sized battery, but my question is: do you have it hooked up with jumpers, or is it hooked up with the regular cables? Jumper cables will not carry the amperage properly. They will assist a battery but not replace it. I would also check to be sure you have juice to the coil. If the car has been setting for a long time ,you might run a wire directly from the positive side of the battery to the plus side of the coil to make sure the system has juice.
 
I had it hooked up correctly to a battery, then jumped it with jumper cables also to a running car.

I've heard before of running a cable from battery directly to the coil. Isn't that the explanation of a "hot wire"?? My brother thinks it is.

Next time i get a chance to use a spare battery and jump it, i'll try the direct wire to the coil.

Just a question... what would happen if i ran a positive cable from the battery to the starter. As i mentioned before, i think the starter is kinda weak right now. ...just a thought.

Mike.
 
YEP!! Thet is the proper name for it ,I learned to hot wire cars as a teen ager. In theory, your positive casble goes directly to the starter now, so with a well charged battery and jumper cables, if it wont' turn over well, you either have an engine that needs to be freed up or a bad starter. :(
 
Hey, old guy,

What's your opinion of oil priming before it's acutally started?

My subject is in the 1960's section of this board and another fella has mentioned it, but it really looks like a big bunch of work, when it seems to me that an engine that will run, and does crank right now, will lube up everything within a matter of seconds of it actually starting.

What are your thoughts???

Mike.
 
On most engines it is not too necessary, but The Buick engine is not most engines. The Buick has to pull oil from the center all the way to the front cover,and I know that when you rebuild one ,if you do not pack the pump with vaseline, even priming will not get oil to the engine. Primimng is not that hard to do ,and may save you a load of grief. I have seen engines that had the filter pulled and the system drained for 48 hours and the pump had to be packed ,because they couldn't build any pressure.
 
Well, I know a few of you wanted me to keep you posted with what's happening so here goes. I know I had asked all kinds of questions with cranking speed and ignition crap, so here were the final things I did to get the old beast firing up again.

Replaced points, condensor, rebuilt starter (very very important), and a new fuel pump.

I guess the thing that was holding me back from doing those few things was money. Didn't have any. Spent about $200 this past week on odds and ends for the car and now it's all back together and completely driveable, except for the ancient tires that are on it that can't hold air!!

So now it's time for new tires, and now i can focus more on restoring the nicks, scratches, and bumps on and around the body and maybe even buy some seatbelts.

Needless to say, i'm extremely happy that it is running.

BTW... On startup, i definitely knew that the oil wasn't distributing quickly thru the engine, so i just kept up a smooth low-idle until the "ticking" went away. Now it's idling very smooth and nice and quiet too. Can't believe how quiet the 215V8 really is, and the old exhaust, with holes in it here and there, is even not loud either. Unbelievable.


Thanks for all the help guys.

61Special (Mike)
 
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